Finding Love
by deathwalker17
Summary: For the past 16 years of Hermione Granger's life, she has been brutally abused at home and no one knows. She hasn't felt love since the day she was born and she's realizing that she needs it now more than ever. Who will she turn to in her greatest time of need and who will she trust to hold her fragile heart? Hermione/Minerva pairing
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer- I own nothing. **

**Warning- This might get pretty graphic (abuse, torture, suicidal thoughts, etc.) and it will eventually be a Hermione/Minerva pairing, so if any of that bothers you. I would recommend not reading this. **

**Chapter 1: **

Hermione's POV-

I try to hold in my gasp of pain as I gently lower myself onto the floor of my "room", also known as the basement. I have been sleeping on this same cold cement floor since I was three years old, except for the large part of the year that I am at Hogwarts, so by now I'm used to the hardness against my body. I roll onto my side, trying to relieve the pressure off my newly welted back. Closing my eyes, I try to think of happy thoughts instead of being forced to continuously relieve the nightmare that I just lived through. Failing I realize that this happened because of a single tea cup… that is why I am lying here silently sobbing in pain, because I dropped a single solitary tea cup.

_***Flashback* **_

_ "Hermione!" my father screams at the top of his lungs, "Get your useless ass up here and make your mother and I a cup of tea." _

_ I run up the steep stairs from the basement and into the kitchen. I immediately start heating the water and collecting the tea pot and cups from the cupboard. The kettle starts whistling and I pour the water into the pot. Placing everything on a tray, I walk into the living room trying not to drop anything. _

_ "It's about time you useless brat," my mother says to me. _

_ I lower my head and don't reply. I placed the tray onto the coffee table and began pouring the tea. Handing the first cup to my mother, I reach for the second and as I give it to my father, my grasp on the cup slips and the contents of the cup fall onto my father's legs. _

_ "Oh! I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I…I… didn't mean to," I say while grabbing napkins and unsuccessfully trying to dry his pants. I can almost predict what will happen next. _

_ "You bitch!" he screams at me, "Don't lie to me, you purposefully did that you ungrateful little monster!"_

_ I can only watch as his hand reaches towards me and smacks me across the cheek. _

_ "You think just because you are a witch and are leaving again tomorrow for that foolish school of yours that you can act however you want? Well, you are far from correct young lady," he says to me while taking his belt of his pants. _

_ He lifts me up of the ground and throws me across the room so I land sprawled out on the floor. I feel the crack of multiple ribs from the harsh landing as he walks towards me. All I can do is whimper as he cracks the belt buckle against my back time and time again. I feel the blood running down onto the floor through my clothes. Eventually my father gets bored, grabs ahold of my ankle, and drags me to the door that leads down to the basement. _

_ "You tell anyone about this and I will make sure that you never breathe again," he hisses into my ear as he leans over to lift me into a sitting position by my hair, "Got it?"_

_ I slowly nod my head and within seconds I feel his boot kick me in the back pushing me down the stairs. _

_***End of Flashback* **_

Shivering, I pull myself out of the flashback and try to stand up of the floor knowing that I need to pack my trunk for tomorrow. Slowly I am able to lift myself to my feet and walk to the other side of the basement to where my trunk is laying. I lift the lid and slowly start packing my robes, books, and essentials. "He has never beaten me right before I go back to school after Christmas break," I mutter to myself. It is going to be hard to hide my cracked ribs, bruised cheek, and destroyed back from everyone, I realized this slowly starting to panic. I focus on finishing with my packing. Once I finished, I take my shirt off, ignoring the pain in my ribs, and walk to the cracked mirror hanging on the wall. Reaching for the bottle of peroxide and bandages that I have hidden, I pour the liquid down my back, hissing in pain as it bubbling, cleaning my wounds. I do my best to wrap my back with the bandages and pull a clean shirt on.

I sit back down onto the ground and gently lean against the wall, I sit like this until morning arrives. Finding the strength deep within me once morning arrives, I stand and walk back to the cracked mirror and stare at my bruised face… it will be the hardest thing to hide from everyone until I get to Hogwarts and can cast a glamor charm. Changing my back bandages, I reach for my makeup and carefully apply it to my face, trying my hardest to make my face look unblemished. Completing this, I change clothes, grab my trunk, and slowly I make my way up the basement stairs while trying to be as quiet as possible.

I walk through the living room and grab my jacket off the coat rack. Opening the door, I rush out of the house and reach into my pocket for the coin that I charmed into a port key before I left Hogwarts for Christmas break. Holding on tight, I feel the pull and when I open my eyes I am in a back alley across the street from the train station. Hoping I won't be stopped by anyone before I reach the train, I put the hood of my jacket up and move as quickly as I am able to, to the platform and board the train after leaving my trunk with everyone else's. Finding an empty compartment, I sit closest to the window and close my eyes waiting for Harry and Ron to join.

'I hope I can pull this off,' is my last thought before I fall asleep, exhausted and in unimaginable pain.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: **

Hermione's POV-

"Hermione. Hermione. Hermione! HERMIONE, WAKE UP!,"

"What?! I'm awake. What happened?," I reply, immediately going into panic mode from being touched.

"We have been trying to wake you up for the past 10 minutes," Ron replies rubbing the back of his neck after quickly retracting his hand from my shoulder, "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

I sigh and start running my hands across my face, momentarily forgetting that I had an excess amount of makeup on my face, which I just smeared. Looking down at my hands I see that they are now covered in makeup… that's not good…

"Oh god. What happened to your face Hermione?," Harry says as he reaches to touch the area around my eye.

"Nothing. I was playing catch with my dad, missed the ball, and got hit in the face," I say lying through my teeth.

Harry starts shaking his head as if he doesn't believe me, but before he can start arguing with me, Ginny opens the compartment door and both boy's attention suddenly turn on her and they forget about the bruise. 'Thank god," I mumble under my breath.

"Hey guys!" Ginny says.

"Hey," I mumble in reply as Neville and Luna also enter the compartment.

Knowing that it will be harder to hide the truth of my bruises if there are more people that know something is wrong, I pull my hood up, lean against the window, and try my hardest to fall asleep.

Before I know it, the train lurches to a stop and I am startled awake, again. Standing up, I feel the cuts on my back pulling and gasp in pain. Immediately everyone in the compartment turns to look at me, wondering what was wrong.

"I'm fine, just a kinked neck from sleeping like that for too long," I lie again.

They seem to accept this excuse, so we all make our way off the train. I had never been so happy to see Hogwarts… my home… my true home… my only home…

"Hermione," Luna calls to me, "Are you coming?"

Now that we are on Hogwarts ground and knowing that this is my only chance before I have to be in close contact with my friends. I quickly cast a glamour charm and hop onto the carriage with the rest of my friends, and get comfortable for the ride up to the castle.

"How was your holiday, Hermione?," Neville asks me, "You were asleep on the ride, so I didn't get a chance to ask."

"Um, it was good. We had tea with Christmas breakfast like we usually do, then my parents and I had a little exchange, and we had some family over who I am not a fan of, so I spent some time in my bedroom getting a head start on my reading for after break," I say altering the truth as little as possible.

"Yikes, I hate family reunions. I always feel like I am out of place and completely unwanted," Harry says trying to sound sympathetic.

I nod, because honestly I always do feel unwanted around my "family".

"We don't really have family reunions at my house," Luna says with her eyebrows scrunched up, "What are they like?"

"Absolute hell," Harry says before I have the chance to say anything, "It's just a bunch of stuck up relatives that think they are better than you, who stand around and reminisce about when they were kids and while they are reminiscing they all decide to get beyond drunk."

"And then once they are all drunk, they start yelling and screaming. Once the arguing starts, then the violence starts and by the end of the night there is usually someone that is in a whole world of pain," I say quietly.

Everyone is silent after I said that, and I start to worry that I had said too much. It's not like there was actually a family reunion at the Granger house, but I didn't know if I could tell my friends about what truly happened over the holiday break.

My friends continued to talk about their break and I just continue to stare at the castle, knowing that the closer I get to the front doors the safer I will feel.

The carriage comes to a smooth stop and we all pile out. Walking up the stairs to the main door, we all make our way to our tables in the Great Hall. Sitting down on the bench across from Harry, Ron, and Neville with Ginny and Luna on my sides, I glance up to the staff table and find my eyes glued to one specific professor. Minerva McGonagall. Current Headmistress, now that Professor Dumbledore decided that he wasn't the man for the job.

Dumbledore was now teaching first through fifth Transfiguration, while McGonagall taught sixth and seventh year Transfiguration as well as taking on the duties as Headmistress. This, I was grateful for, because even though Professor Dumbledore was said to be a wonderful teacher, I couldn't imagine having a Transfiguration without McGonagall.

"Half way through Sixth year," Ron says while rubbing his belly, "I can't believe that in a year and a half we will be leaving this place for good… I'm hungry."

"When aren't you hungry? I swear, you are a bottomless pit," Ginny replies to her brother.

"I am a growing man and need my substance," Ron replies puffing out his chest.

While their petty argument was occurring, I noticed Professor McGonagall looking at me questioningly. I raise an eyebrow at her and she shakes her head before resuming her conversation with Dumbledore.

"Man? A man!? Are you kidding me? You still sleep with a night light," Ginny says laughing.

"I do not! That is so I don't trip when I get up," Ron says trying to defend himself.

"Oh, will you guys shut up already," I say annoyed out of my mind, their stupid arguing is giving me a headache.

"Someone is grouchy," Ron mutters under his breath.

Looking back up to the staff table, I see Professor McGonagall stand up and silence fills the room.

"Good evening everyone. I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and are ready for rest of the year. Just a reminder, Professor Dumbledore will be continuing to teach lower level Transfiguration and I will continue with upper level Transfiguration. Professor Snape has agreed to continue teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, even after the slight issue we had with some of the students before break," she said glaring at some boys from Gryffindor, "That is all, let the feast begin.

"Of course he agreed to continue with the job," Harry whispers at us once McGonagall finishes, "He has wanted that job since before I can remember. Why would McGonagall allow him to even teach Defense Against the Dark Arts in the first place? It's not like he has been teaching us useful information the past few months."

"Harry. This thing that you have against Snape has got to stop. There is obviously a reason that McGonagall trusts him and if she trusts him, then I trust him. Just let it go already," I say beginning to become annoyed. I can feel the pain intensifying and I don't know how much longer I can sit here.

We sat in almost silence for rest of dinner and once people started leaving, I shot out of my seat heading as quickly as I could to the dormitory without looking suspicious. Going up the stairs was painful, because every step jarred my ribcage and my back, but I didn't slow down. Reaching the seventh floor, I make my way to the portrait and quickly saying the password, I step inside the common room and go up to the girl's dormitory. Taking my shirt off, I go to my trunk, and clean my wounds and wrap them again before any of the girls show up. With that taken care of, I get into bed and try my best to fall asleep, knowing that I need a lot of energy to make it through tomorrow.

Minerva's POV-

"Did you see Ms. Granger leave in a hurry?" Albus leans over saying to me.

"I did notice that…" I say back beginning to worry about my star student.

"She looked like she was in quite a bit of pain during dinner, even though she was trying very hard to hide it," Albus replies.

"I will speak with her after class tomorrow, maybe she is just tired from the train ride," I say quietly even though, deep down, I fear that it is something much worse…


End file.
